In a startling revelation during a book launch in New Delhi on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari recounted his proximity to one of the most high-profile assassinations in recent Middle Eastern history. Gadkari described meeting Ismail Haniyeh, the political chief of Hamas, just hours before he was killed in a precision strike in Tehran in July 2024.
The Encounter in Tehran
Gadkari was in Tehran representing India at the swearing-in ceremony of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on July 30, 2024.
- The Informal Meeting: Before the official ceremony, dignitaries gathered in a 5-star hotel room for coffee. Gadkari noticed a man who did not represent a specific nation but was given significant protocol.
- The Interaction: “When I shook his hands and asked, I got to know that he is the chief of Hamas,” Gadkari recalled. He noted that Haniyeh was accompanying the Iranian Chief Justice and Prime Minister, signalling the high priority the Iranian government gave him.
- The Last Stage: Later that day, Haniyeh and Gadkari shared the stage during the public inauguration, appearing in several official group photographs together.
“The 4 AM Knock”: A Midnight Assassination
Gadkari described the dramatic sequence of events that followed the ceremony:
- The News: After returning to his hotel and sleeping, Gadkari was woken up at 4:00 AM by a knock on his door. The Indian Ambassador to Iran informed him they had to leave immediately.
- The Assassination: When Gadkari asked why, he was told that Haniyeh had been killed inside his room within a heavily guarded military complex.
- The Method: Haniyeh (62) was killed by what Iranian authorities later described as a “short-range projectile” or a remotely detonated explosive planted months in advance in the IRGC-run guesthouse.
The Lesson: “Vision and Technology”
Gadkari used this historical anecdote at the launch of Uday Mahurkar’s book, “My Idea of Nation First,” to deliver a message on national security:
- Futuristic Defense: He pointed out that despite the highest level of security, Haniyeh was tracked and neutralized. Gadkari argued that this highlights the absolute necessity for India to invest in futuristic technology for trade, defense, and intelligence.
- National Strength: Citing Israel as an example, he remarked that a small country has asserted massive global influence through technological sophistication. “If a country is strong, no country can lay a hand on it,” he added.